Portable lamp base



July 26, 1927.

A. J. CARMICHAEL PORTABLE LAMP, BASE Filed A ril 17, 2

H 7 HM a Patented July 26, 1927.

entree STA-TEES:-

P TIE orrl E ANDREW J. CABMICHAEL, onnnwi CoNNnCTiCuT, Assrenon TO T-HE'GR-EIST;

CONNECTICUT.

' PORTABLE LAMP BASEJ Application filed April 17, 1923. Serial no; 632,740."

This invention relates tobases for portable lamps;

The type. of portable lamp base to which the present improvements relate -more particularly, is hollow and has concealed therein a spiral'clampingdevice for holdingthe base tea support'such as a'table. An inip ortant feature of the present invention is found in a conical'shaped sheehmetali'nemher which is located within the outer, conical shaped,thin sheet metal base shell to which latter it'conforms incontou'r. inner sheet"metalunember of-thebaseis provided with means'for fastening thereto the inner end portion of" the coil springwhich is housed" within thebase when outofuse; The major portion of" the coil spririgy includingits outer or free enchis of'such extent as to'pullout from'tlie base a distance sufficient to pass over aflbe'd" post, the edge of a table or other support" of" considerable This is due tothe fact thatthe' thickness. spring clamping'member is attached at its inner end to the inner base supporting-member, leaving free su'liicient extent? "offthe spring to embrace supports of greater thick,-

ness than wouldbe the case, for example, if the springwas-fastened to the base ata point intermediate the two ends of. the spring. In this connection, an important feature of-the invention is comprised in'th'e means, for securingthe clampingmemb'er to the inner base support, which consists in punching. or-

forcingloops from the body of 'said'support,

passing theendof the spring through said loops, and then closing the loops. tightly against the spring end to attach it to'the base. 7

Another important feature of the invention is comprised in a coil clamping'memher which is secured within the base of the lamp at. points near the inner end, of" said The were clampedclose up in the conical end of the base at the point where the lamp'stem en'- ters. Italso adds stability to the base as a whole, as compared with other constructions.

Other features of the invention, including important details of construction, and com binat-ions' of'parts, will be more particularly described hereinafter and "the novel features pointed out in the-appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 represents a lamp base, embodying the features ofthe present'invention, in side elevation:

Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view, and,

' Fig. 3'is;a vertical section on the line '33,"

Fig. 2, showing the base'clampedto a support. v

The numeral 3"indicates the outer, thin metal shell of the base which as shown is conical in form and may be provided at its lower outwardly flared edge with an inwardly rolled portion-2. Internally'of' the thin metal shell isa stiffening and stabi- 'lizing base frame member 5:. This member is made of sheet metal of considerably greater thickness than' th'e' outer shell 3.' As

a convenientand economical mode ofmanufactoring the frame member 5' the same is formed originally froma disc-shaped blank from which, at fhur equi-distant points,'V shaped slots 16are cut out. Subsequently, the blank" is formcd'intoconical shape to follow the configuration-of the shell 3, the bendingof the blanli into such shape causing the V shaped sl'otsto close so as to present, at-points 90 apart in the frame member, slots 16. This method of manufacture permits shaping of the frame member by dies, or otherwise,without distortion of the metal, and prevents fracture'during manufacture. V

The upper conical ends of the shellS and frame 5 areprovidedjwith ahole to receive the hollow stem '50 of the lamp, said stem being provided with a head or shoulder 6 which supports the stem against the shell 3; Theouter extremity of the'stem has a hinge joint by which itis connectedwith the'lamp or lamp socliet 9' A washer 11 formed of suitable thicknessislocated' within the shell 5'and is of a size just sufficient to rest against the inner surface of"the shell at apointsubstantially midway of the base. This washer is providedfiwith a-central perforation through which extends the end of the stem 50, said end being formed with tongues 13. which are bent over upon the face of the washer, the washer being thus clamped firmly against the inside face of the member 5. It will be seen that as the annular shoulder 6 bears rigidly against the margin of the hole in the shell 3 through which the stem passes, when the tongues 13 are turned over upon the washer 11 the stem 50, shell 3, and base 5, will be tightly clamped together'by the pressure exerted through the washer 11. The location of this washer imparts strength and rigidity to the base, and to a greater extent than would be the case if the washer were clamped close up within the conical end portion of the frame, where the stem 50 enters. The construction also provides a bearing over which to rivet or fold two or more projections as 13 from the lower end of the lamp stem at a. point located well down within the base of the lamp, thus providing greater increased strength and stability in the device by which the lamp stem is attached to the base as compared to the strength that would be imparted by the lower projections of the stem if the same were riveted or formed over close up under the conical end of the base shell, or the sheet metal supporting member thereof.

Internally of the shell member 5, at suitably spaced points, pairs of parallel slits are formed transversely of the shell, and the metal between said slits is forced or punched inwardly to form loops 17. These loops receive the inner end portion of the spiral spring clamping member 15, said member being preferably formed of wire, suitably tempered to impart resiliency thereto. The clamp 15 has any desired number of coils and itis free from its point or points of attachment 17 outwardly to its extreme end. Said coils normally lie housed within the hollow base as shown in Fig. 2, but the outer portion of the clamp may be pulled from within the base and located over a table, bed post, or any suitable support B for clamping the lamp base thereto. When removed from the support B the clamp 15 will automatically be drawn within the base, and will lie in substantially a single plane. To prevent marring the surface of the furniture with which the clamp comes into contact a suitable portion thereof is incased in a rubber covering 18, or the like.

Changes may be made in the details of construct-ion, or in the particular arrange ment of the parts described without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the right is reserved to make such changes as are within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A lamp base comprising an outer sheet metal member, an inner shell of heavier metal than the first-named member but shaped to conform substantially to the latin shape to the outer shell, a rigid metal" washer located within the base and bearing at its outer edge against said inner shell at a point substantially midway of the ends of said shell, and a stem passing through apertures in said shells and having its inner end passed through a central aperture in said washer, and means formed from the metal of said stem for rigidly securing the stem to the washer, whereby the stem, washer and two shells are clamped together. 7 v

3. A lamp base comprising an outer thin metal shell of conical form, an inner shell of heavier sheet metal conforming substantially to the shape of the outer shell, said shells provided at their apices with registering holes, a washer of rigid material located within the inner shell and having its outer edge bearing on said shell at a point substantially midway the ends of said shell, said washer having acentral aperture, and a lamp stem extending through the apertures in said shells and washer, said stem having an annular stop bearing upon the outer shell about the opening therein, and having at its inner extremity tongues which are bent over upon the inner face of said washer, whereby said parts are rigidly clamped together.

4. A lamp base comprising an outer thin metal shell of conical shape, an inner shell of heavier sheet metal than said outer shell, said inner shell having spaced radial slots, extending from the outer periphery of the shell inwardly and terminating near the top thereof, said slots being spaced approximately apart, said shells having aligned perforations at their apices, a lamp stem passing through said perforations, a disk located midway of said inner shell and provided with a central perforation, the inner end of said lamp stem passing through said perforation and means at the end'of said stem for engaging the under surface of the disk, whereby said stem, disk and inner and outer shells are clamped together.

5. A lamp base comprising an outer conical shell of sheet metal, an inner conical shell of heavier sheet metal than said outer shell and fitting the inner surface of the latter, said inner shell imparting sufiicient stability and rigidity to the outer shell to maintain said base in position on a stand, said inner and outer shells having aligned'perforations at their apices, a stem extending through said perforations, and a rigid washer located within the inner shell and engaged at its outer edge with said shell at a point midway of the latter, said washer provided with a central perforation to receive the end of said stem, and means formed from the metal of said stem and upset upon the inner face of said washer to hold said parts together.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 7th day of April A. D. 1923.

ANDREW J. CARMIOHAEL. 

